Intra-Imperial Aspects of Britain’s Defence Question, 1870–1900

INTRA-IMPERIAL ASPECTS OF BRITAIN'S DEFENCE QUESTION, 1870-1900 NMarch 7,1873, the announcement was made inthe House of Commonsat Westminster by the Hon. Edward Knatchbull -Hugessen, parliamentary under-secretary of state for the colonies,that the self-governingcolonieshad assumedresponsibility for their local defence.• Garrisonswere to be retained only for the purposeof guarding imperial fortresses,such as Halifax and Esquimault. Great Britain was to continue to provide naval protection, however, and it was understood that the entire military and naval strength of the empire would be exerted in defending every portion of it against a foreign foe. Negotiations first begun by Earl Grey as colonial secretary in Lord John Russell'sadministration, 1846-1852, had thus been brought to a successfulconclusion? The question had "bristled with difficulties ," but special factors had made it imperative to reach a settlement. Chief among these was, during the sixties, the necessity of providing an adequate military establishment for Great Britain in the face of a determined Liberal oppositionto large expenditureson the army and navy. The opening of the decade found the United Kingdom in the midst of what Cobden called "the Third Panic." It was commonly believed that Napoleon III was plotting an attack. Leading membersof the ministry, including the prime minister, Lord Palmerston, shared this fear. A hostile Franco-Russian alliance was even consideredwithin the range of possibilities. 3 To meet •Hansard, 3rd series, CCXIV, col. 1528. An exception was made in the case of the CapeColony,wherelocalconditionsmademaintenance ofimperialtroopsnecessary; see A. B. Keith, Responoible Government in the Dominions(Oxford, 1912), vol. III, pp. 1256, 1257. 2Forthe negotiationsleadingup to the withdrawal of the imperial troopsseeRobert L. Schuyler,"The Recallof the Legions: a Phasein the Decentralizationof the British Empire," The American Historical Review,vol. XXVI, pp. 18-36. •NapoleonIII and France occupiedin the mindsof the British in 1859-1862,a position analogousto that held by Germany in the years shortly before the outbreak of the Great War. SeeRichard Cobden, The ThreePanics (London, 1884), pp. 47-704; 120 BRITAIN'S DEFENCE QUESTION 121 the threatening danger two lines of action were urged strongly: first, the concentration of all available military forces at the imperial base,and, second,increasedappropriationsfor defence. The latter met with determined opposition from Gladstone as chancellor of the exchequer, 1859-1866. Firm in his convictions he carried on a spirited debate over this questionwith the prime ministerand strainedto the breakingpoint a life-longfriendship with the secretary for war, Sidney Herbert. • He scoffedat the fear of a French invasion, and declared, "My mind is made up, and to proposeany loan for fortificationswould be, on my part, with the views I entertain, a betrayal of my public duty."2 For the sakeof economyhe favouredwithdrawal of the British troops wherever possible2, This policy had also the support of military strategists,who consideredscatteredgarrisonspractically useless in case of war.4 Under the influence of these factors, among others,the Houseof Commonspassed,without a dissentingvote, on March 4, 1862,a resolutionfavouring the recall of all imperial troops from the colonieswhich enjoyed responsiblegovernment.5 Nine years of negotiationsfollowed. The French scarevanished , but the need for an improved defencesystem remained. The periodwhichwitnessedthe riseof Germany sawalsoBritain's influence in international affairs at its lowest ebb. Especially during the Danish crisis, 1862-1864, Lord Palmerston's bluster and Earl Russell's angrydespatches provedof noavail. Bismarck possessed an uncanny ability to estimate paper preparedness at its true value. A seriesof diplomatic defeatswas generallyattributed to Great Britain's weak military establishment. There were only 20,000 men for an expeditionaryforceand no breechloaders . ø Hansard,3rd series,CLIV, cols.619-626and CLV, cols.702-704,speeches by Lord Lyndhurst and Sir Charles Napier, July 5 and 25, 1850; Sir Theodore Martin, The Life of His Royal Highnessthe Prince Consort, 3rd ed. (London, 1880), vol. V, pp. 256, 257; Lord Palmerstonto Gladstone,April 20, 1862, in Evelyn Ashley, The Life and Correspondence of Henry John Temple,Viscount Palmerston (London,1840), vol. II, p. 414. •Thebestaccount, with documents, of thesenegotiations isfoundin LordStanmore, SidneyHerbert(London,1006), vol. II, ch. VI. 2John Morley,TheLifeoyWilliamEwartGladstone, newedition(New York, 1011), vol. II, p. 44. aStanmore,Herbert,vol. II, p. 260. 4Hansard,3rd series,CLV, col. 304. 5Ibid.,CLXV, col. 1060; the text of...